Cool movie. One of Dwayne's best films. Great action with a bit of humor thrown into it.
The Scorpion King
(2002, Rated PG-13, Action/adventure, Starring Michael Clarke Duncan, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Kelly Hu)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
On the silly popcorn scale, it works pretty well.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 12–13
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Scorpion King was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this movie has a lot of action violence, meaning that it is not too graphic or gory. There are some vivid images, including attacking cobras, an impaled body, and a dead child. And there are very vivid sound effects making on- and off-screen violence more explicit with spurting and squishing sounds. There are sexual references and non-explicit sexual situations, including two women in a man's bed. There are no four-letter words, but there are some strong epithets.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about Memnon's claim that order was better than freedom. They may also want to talk about how the sorceress protected herself from Memnon.
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More on The Scorpion King
What’s the Story?
Some very scary looking guys are about to kill a guy who would be even scarier-looking if he wasn't tied up. But then everyone steps back in awe of a guy who steps in looking scariest of all and as they hesitate, he cocks an eyebrow and says simply, "Boo." That is the Rock (WWF star Dwayne Johnson) and he plays Mathayus, the title role, in this prequel to the Mummy movies, giving us the background of the character who appeared briefly but memorably in the second one as half-man, half very large bug. In THE SCORPION KING, Mathayus and two others are hired by local tribes to kill the evil tyrant Memnon (Steven Brand).
Is It Any Good?
The Scorpion King doesn't pretend to having anything like the wit and charm of the Mummy movies, which were a loving tribute to Saturday morning serials. But it works pretty well, largely due to its star. The Rock has genuine screen presence. He even manages most of the material better than Michael Clarke Duncan who is just too much of an actor to deliver the cheesy dialogue with the right mix of sincerity and irony, and Peter Facinelli, whose thin-voiced delivery doesn't convey the necessary petulant malevolence.
There is one innovation worth mentioning. In action movies, the hero is almost always stoic, even when he gets hurt. Think of Rambo sewing up his own wounds. But the Rock, carrying over the conventions of professional wrestling, grimaces in pain when he gets hurt. It doesn't rise to the level of acting, but in a funny way I think that it adds some heart to the story.
Movie Details
Studio: Universal Pictures, Director: Chuck Russell
Run time: 92 minutes
Theatrical release: 4/19/2002, DVD release: 10/1/2002
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and sexual situations
Run time: 92 minutes
Theatrical release: 4/19/2002, DVD release: 10/1/2002
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and sexual situations
Our Members Say
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Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
The Scorpion King
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I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
Not that violent, in which it is. But it's too sensual and has a lot of nudity.
The sexual content was sort of graphic. In many scenes you can almost see her breasts.
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I rate this title pause for age 13 and give it
Good Fantasy Adventure
Good teen movie.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it
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Ratings at a Glance
| 50% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 50% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
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